


Training Session

by pastelAlexander (sso_Viktor7)



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-16 00:46:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18510493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sso_Viktor7/pseuds/pastelAlexander
Summary: Clearstar trains her apprentice, Ferretpaw.





	Training Session

A rustle, and then nothing.

Clearstar’s ears swiveled towards the sound. In the shade of the tall grass, she was nearly invisible, but she knew that her stalker could still catch her scent. She sniffed the air, and swerved west in her low trot. The sandy ground felt hot beneath her paw pads, and the wind buffeted the tips of her ears. She wasn’t out of the tall grasses just yet.

She heard the rush of the river that divided SpiritClan from HollowClan, and stopped, crouching. Her belly fur rubbed against the sand, and she felt the sun beating down on her back comfortably. She remained there, crouched low and listening to her surroundings.

Another rustle as her stalker rushed through the tall grass. It sounded to her right, but quite a distance away.  _ He should know better than to make so much noise. _ She thought while narrowing her eyes. Her ears swiveled towards another rustle and scrape of stone, and flicked her tail tip. This time it sounded closer, but still to her right.

There was a long, drawn out moment of silence, and then she heard it. The scrabble of claws against sand and grass as her stalker lunged for her. Clearstar ducked, and bolted out of the grass. She felt the tall grass get lower until she was out of its protection, unsheathed her claws and stopped in her tracks.

With her head low and tail lashing, Clearstar felt the full strength of the wind against her body, but seasons of living in the prairies allowed her to resist it. She listened above the roar of the wind, and heard another scrabble of claws as the cat ran after her from the grass.

Clearstar sheathed her claws and ducked, feeling a breeze above her as her stalker flew over her. She heard him grunt as he landed awkwardly, and she whirled around. She caught his scent and lunged for him. She felt her paws connect with sun-warmed fur, and heard the cat yelp beneath her and begin to writhe. 

She struggled to pin him, and he managed to use his hind legs to kick her off. She landed on her shoulder on the rough prairie sand, but quickly rolled to her paws. She lashed her tail and opened her mouth to catch the cat’s scent. A scrabble to her left and his sharp scent alerted her, and she leaped upwards with powerful hind legs.

She heard the tom leap after her, and he managed to grab her hind legs. Clearstar hissed and struck his ear and cheek before they landed with a thump. She quickly lashed out her hind legs as soon as the tom released them, and rolled to her paws, hackles raised. She could smell him, and she lunged forward, connecting with sun-warmed fur again and a grunt from the tom.

They rolled on the rough sand, and after several rolls and turnovers, Clearstar had him pinned with no chance of escape. Her tail lashed, and her jaws were parted by soft pants. “You’re going to have to do better than that, Ferretpaw.” She purred through her pants, and got off the tom.

Ferretpaw grunted and rolled to his paws, panting. “How did you notice me so fast?” He asked, and Clearstar could hear the shuffle of his paws.

Clearstar followed his scent to face him. “You were being too loud, Ferretpaw.” She commented with no real disappointment. “Remember to tread lightly in the grass, it can easily give your position away.” She reminded him.

Ferretpaw sighed, and she heard his claws scratching at the sand. “I really thought I had it this time.” He mumbled.

Clearstar tilted her head and approached Ferretpaw. She let her whiskers guide her to his face, then pressed her muzzle against it. “It’s alright, Ferretpaw.” She purred. “No apprentice became a warrior in two moons.”

Ferretpaw leaned against Clearstar when she sat next to him. “I know… It’s just that-”

“You’re Woollytuft and Harepounce’s kit, and you feel like you can do better.”

Ferretpaw fell silent, and Clearstar laid her tail on his back soothingly. “I know how you feel, however.” She started. “Feeling like you’ll never fit into the paw steps of your parents when they’re such respected warriors.” She turned her head to face ahead. “But I’m here to tell you that you fill your  _ own _ paw steps. That is the only way that you can honor your parents.”

There was a long pause, where the only sound was that of the wind, the rushing river several tree-lengths away, and the grass giddily following the wind’s path. Finally, she heard Ferretpaw take a deep breath, then pull away from her.

“You’re right, Clearstar.” He said, and Clearstar could hear the purr in his voice. “I can fill my own paws to make my parents proud.” His voice grew in confidence.

Clearstar could feel her heart burst with pride for her apprentice. “That’s the spirit!” She hopped to her paws, flicking her tail. She scented the air and turned in the direction of camp. “Come on, I’ll race you back to camp.” She challenged, crouching low and bunching up her muscles.

“You’re on.” Ferretpaw purred mischievously, and she heard him crouch as well.

Clearstar counted off, and at one, the two bolted off to SpiritClan camp through the prairies that they called home. The wind ran through their whiskers and fur, the sun beat down on them with welcomed warmth, and the sand felt sturdy beneath their paw pads.


End file.
